black king penguin

melanism is common in birds of many species, and is possible in any species. In England there are many melanistic pheasants running around the countryside, for example
 
Montagu's Harrier is another species where a 'darkphase' melanistic type is known to occur.

What is the name of that little NZ bird which has a black phase which only usually occurs on the South Island and gets commoner the further South you go- supposedly because black retains heat better?
 
A black phase and melanistic are different are they not? Chlidonias I forgot about melanistic pheasants! I was thinking more about cage birds which have every conceivable mutation but yet I have never come across a melanistic budgie or cockatiel!
 
Pertinax said:
What is the name of that little NZ bird which has a black phase which only usually occurs on the South Island and gets commoner the further South you go- supposedly because black retains heat better?
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that would be the fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa
 
in parrots melanism is more uncommon. But if you look at different weaverbird-species they produce a lot more pigment when being stressed. So in the past wild-caught birds arrived very dark. After the mouly they usually colored back.
 
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